


About people (and music)

by Aarashi



Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Study, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Music, Nakamaship, Post-Thriller Bark, Post-Whole Cake Island, Secrets, Trust, Warm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 00:35:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20555300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aarashi/pseuds/Aarashi
Summary: "... probably the first time he had realized it had been in front of a piano, when meeting a pair of blue eyes that reminded him of a calm ocean. Even though deep inside seemed to struggle with a terrifying storm as they tried to keep a secret too big for themselves. (...) He had wondered how many things that blue sea hided in the depths of its waters. How many belonged to them."





	About people (and music)

For Brook, it was always about people.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had spent fifty years all on his own, obliging his own voice to sound cheerful and lively so he could listen to something else than the foggy silence threatening with sinking him in those dark waters. The thing was that Brook loved people: hearing them talk, watching them as they did daily tasks, laughing and dancing as they listened to music. And if those people were pirates and were searching for they dreams, no matter how long their journey would take, better, because it meant they were alive.

After so many years without worrying about anyone (or, better said, having no one to worry about), having people around was a strange yet wonderful experience, particularly because those people were friends, and comrades. As it was, Brook could not help but observe them, not only because he loved people but also because he worried about his friends.

And so, Brook soon realized that there were other good observers around the crew, such as they observed consciously or not. There was Robin, who saw a lot and said very little; Sanji, who did more of the same and seemed to do it fiercely, because he kept all of it for him, too much for his own sake, in Brook’s opinion; and Zoro, who saw some things and was totally blind to others, and always said what he thought it was necessary, nothing else nothing less. Then there was also Luffy, who did not seem to see anything at all, and yet, he was the one who always knew what to say, so Brook thought it was another observer, the kind of observer who saw without watching at all.

Brook knew all of this because he saw it every day in the ship, but probably the first time he had realized it had been in front of a piano, when meeting a pair of blue eyes that reminded him of a calm ocean. Even though deep inside seemed to struggle with a terrifying storm as they tried to keep a secret too big for themselves. Brook had thought it was a sad but still beautiful sight, because the sea was always a beautiful sight, and had decided to keep the secret, of course, as it was a really powerful secret, one of those that made his bones shake. But at the same time, he had wondered how many things that blue sea hided in the depths of its waters. How many belonged to them.

It was not as the other members of the crew did not hide secrets (Brook knew some of them and knew he did not know some others), but again there was that blue ferocity shining that made Brook wonder how someone who worried so much about others would worry about himself. It was not until far later, when they had been trapped in that castle, when he had heard that name (that terrible name) and he had seen it, in Sanji’s face. The surprise. The rage.

The fear.

And something more.

Brook remembered that fake yet true smile, because it was a smile full of doubts, maybe lies, a smile that did not promise a bright future. But it was a smile for them, and those always held some kind of true.

Brook had hated himself so much when Sanji had freed him and then had left. So alone, to fight one of those secrets his blue eyes kept. At that moment, Brook had wished Sanji fought for himself with the same ferocity he fought for others. Now, he was glad he did.

In the crow’s nest, watching the moon dying the waters with silver, Brook took the violin and pressed the bow against its strings, thinking about an island full of sweets, sorrow and tears.

“Hey, Brook, I…”

The rest of the sentence was lost in a scream that nearly made Sanji stumble and drop the tray. He did not, of course, because Sanji did not stumble, less when he was carrying food.

Brook, who had screamed as he had seen a ghost, looked at the cook with wide eyes. Well, he would have, if he had had eyes. Once recovered from the surprise, Sanji had raised his eyebrow.

“As I’m also in watch tonight, I’d thought about bringing you some tea, but I guess I’m not welcomed here,” he commented, in a light tone.

“Oh, no. I apologize. You scared me, Sanji-san.”

He let out a soft laugh. Sanji hummed and entered. Brook saw that instead of his usual suit he was wearing a blue hoodie, similar to the one he had wore back then, when they had met in front of the piano.

He left the tray in the bench (a cup of tea, a pair of biscuits) and sat on the floor, with a cigarette in his lips. Brook looked at him, wondering if he should say something and, if he did, what.

But Sanji just stayed there, smoking quietly, and he did not seem bothered at all. So Brook took his cup of tea and sipped.

“It is wonderful. Thank you.”

Sanji nodded softly as a response. Brook drank his tea. Then he took his violin again.

“Would you like if I play a bit of music?”

“Sure.”

“Do you have any requests?”

“So you’d end up playing whatever you want?”

Sanji smirked and Brook could not help a smile. He remembered again: the hoodie, the piano, the light. Those same blue eyes.

“Yo-ho-ho-ho! I assure you this time I will listen to your petition. Please, I’d love to play for you.”

Still uncertain, Sanji sighed.

“Well, then…” Brook saw a hint of doubt in his face. So clear. “Do you know _Golden wings?_

Brook knew it. It was quite an old song, its precedence uncertain, but he knew that the sea in which mothers sang it to their children so they could sleep wasn’t the East Blue, nor the Grand Line.

But he did not say anything. Instead, he took the violin to his shoulder and started to play. And to sing:

_‘S time to turn off all the lights_

_Sky long run out of the bright_

_Close your eyes_

_Sleep well, my child_

_Yes, just count until five_

_On the wide world made of dreams_

_Your ship awaits in the seas_

_Waters calm,_

_So blue and warm_

_The waves, your lullaby _

A small smile was coming to Sanji’s lips and reaching his eyes. Brook thought they looked like the sea, the calm sea in which he had seen Laboon last time, saying goodbye to their ship. As he kept playing and singing, Brook knew he could not compete with the loving and soft voice of a mother. But he had been part of the Rumble Pirates, those who could make a child laugh while they cry.

_Playing through the moon and breeze _

_Golden wings, they beat in greet_

_Butterflies,_

_They fly so high_

_Go send them your regards_

_When you wake up with the sun_

_A whole new world waits in the sky _

_Spread your wings_

_Aim to the winds_

_You will fly to the sea_

Sanji’s head had been slightly lowered, his hair hided most of his face, but now he raised it. He was smiling, the kind of smile in which his eyes also took part, though they were not seeing what Brook’s saw. They were somewhere else, far from there. The skeleton thought it should be a lovely sight.

“It’s a beautiful lullaby,” he whispered, when he reached an instrumental part.

“It is, isn’t it?” Sanji mumbled, still so far away. “Even though once someone told me it was only a stupid song for crying little babies.”

His smile did not disappear, though it seemed to pale, small and frightened before the moon. Brook was used to music, so he didn’t flinch when he heard the sudden change of tune; same voice, so different meaning behind. It felt like when one reached that instant on a song, pressing the piano keys so soft they were barely audible and, yet, they brought one to the edge of tears.

“I think the person who told you that knew nothing about music, Sanji-san. Neither about people.” Brook kept playing. “Do you think this pace is okay? I believe it is usually played a bit faster.”

“It’s okay.” Sanji’s whisper was barely audible with the mumbling of the waves. Brook saw again that imperceptible smile, treasuring memories from the ocean. “The slower, the more it lasts.”

“Yo-ho-ho-ho.” Brook felt a warm wave reaching each one of his cold bones. “That’s right.”

He kept playing, soft and slow, while Sanji listened and smoked. Eventually, the song ended, but Brook did not stop playing. The first rays of sunshine surprised them at dawn and they both raised their gaze. The light now painted the seas in gold, the sails swelling like wings.

Brook felt so glad they were alive.

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics of the song is invented by myself, but I based the melody in Binks' sake (because I have no originality and I suck at these things), even though it would be a slower pace (as Yorkie used to tell Brook, more like a lullaby). Hope you enjoy!


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